Senior Season
The school year of 2020-2021 has definitely been “different” to say the least. So many people have had to give up the things they love most for long periods of time and with unfair costs. An example of a huge thing given up was all sports at PVHS Seniors especially got robbed of their senior traditions, bonds made between friendships on the team and their final season in general. However, the faculty, staff, and the students have done everything in their power to make this year as normal and as great as possible.
Shaley Vieg, a Senior on the basketball and volleyball team said, “I think PV has done a good job, especially the coaches, with trying to get each sport a lot of games and doing everything they can to make this season feel normal.”
The coaches especially deserve a huge shout out for all the hard work they’ve put in to making this season unforgettable with unreasonable circumstances. All of the athletes can see how much they are trying and it is greatly appreciated across the board. The timing of every event, the new ways of training, the countless hours, everything has been seen and is so special to see how much the coaches love their athletes.
“PV did everything they could to give us a season and they worked super hard to give us every game we had this season,” said senior Cole Abarca, a member of the varsity football team.
The simplest traditions that would occur between the teams had to be changed due to staying six feet apart at all times and wearing masks anytime people came into close contact with each other. The coaches and athletes had to be flexible in order to actually have and participate in their seasons.
Senior cheerleader, Sarah Grace Arington explains, “My team did an amazing job to keep up traditions especially towards the end of the year during the football season but I miss all of the little traditions we did before competing like eating a piece of watermelon.”
“The team used to have dinners every Thursday after practice and I felt like the team wasn’t as connected as we were in previous seasons because we didn’t have this,” said Abarca.
“We missed out on tournaments where we got to stay the night at hotels and those were usually the most fun part of my sports seasons. We also missed out on team dinners which were always great for team bonding and made the season more memorable.” said Vieg
The little things do matter to these athletes. With going through these constant changes everyone has learned a valuable lesson about the importance of being present and truly living. Focusing on the positive was an essential part of this year’s season. Without it, nobody would have gotten far. Everyone would have been stuck in an unnecessary funk instead of an optimist mindset.
“This season changed my outlook on the relationships I have made with the girls on the team. The weeks we had virtual conditioning I really missed seeing everyone and the little side conversations on our water breaks. It reminded me to not take the friendships we made for granted and to make the most out of everyday.” Said Arington
Even with the ups and downs of this year’s season, the love for these sports haven’t been forgotten. These athletes have given everything they possibly could into their final season. While the situation was extremely unfair, the seniors couldn’t do anything about a worldwide problem. They all kept great attitudes and that is what made these seasons worthwhile.
“This volleyball and basketball season made me realize I should enjoy every moment on the court with my teammates. Although we didn’t get the season we wanted, I’m grateful for the few games I got with my friends and teammates. My love for those sorts will never change, said Vieg
Although this year didn’t go as expected, many people were still able to find the good and make the most out of the season as well as the school year. Many have learned to treat today like it’s your last day. Think about it… are you focused on what you don’t have or are you picking up the pieces of what you do have? Are you giving everything into each day? Do you think you are truly living?
